The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-02-26
For THE UNIvERsALIsT.
WHAT SAVED WILLIE'S LIFE
BY MRS. C. 4. HOLMES.

'Now, Molly, you stay here and play
with your doll till the groceries come; then
you may lock the door and go to your
Aunt Susie's till six o'clock. Put the
key under the door-mat and be sure you
don t let Willie take any of those pesky
boys into the house to turn everything
upside down. I'll be home at six. Don't
litter up the porch, nor soil your new
apron"
With this parting advice to her little
eight year-old daughter, Rachel Howard
took up her basket of clothes and walked
briskly down the street the distance of
several blocks. Then turning to the left
she soon came to a small but handsome
brick house which stood in the middle OF
large well-kept yard in which were trees,
shrubs and flowers of almost every kind.
Walking slowly about this yard, as if
to take in all its varied beauty, she paus-
ed moment by the fountain, around
which were wild vines and ferns, then
with sigh and an expression on her coun-
tenance that seemed to say, "She can have
everything and can have nothing" she
went to side door and entered the room
OF her invalid sister.
"Here I am, Mary, at this late hour
with the rest OF your fine clothes. Did
you think was not coming to. day?'
"No, indeed, Rachel, had no doubt Of
your coming, but it hurts me to sec you
work so hard, doing all your own work
and most of mine, while l do nothing but
lie on this lounge and think. Take off
your hat and sit down awhile; I am sure
you need rest"
"You would think needed rest il you
lad seen me work this morning" answer
ed Rachel, taking the clothes out of the
basket "Here are the four fine shirts
and three white vests, six small shirts,
two white dresses for baby and eight
white aprons with all the ruffies auted.
All this ironing did before nine o'clock
this morning, besides baking bread, bis
cult and pies and just the incest loaf of
cake you ever saw for the donation party
tonight. Then swept and busted the
whole house, washed the kitchen VIM
dows, secured the floor, blacked the
stove and scrubbed the back porch. Now
the house is in perfect order, and the
children's clothes ready for Sunday
school and / anu going after my dress
Mrs. Brown promised to have it done last
night, but / thought l would give her
plenty of time so waited till this after
noon."
"Did you tell me Mrs. Foster had
dress making just like yours?"
"Yes, when L took my goods to the
shop Mrs. Brown told me she had one
partly made for her from the same piece
of silk, but don't care. The lace
bought to trim mine is more than an
inch wider than hers, besides being much
finer in quality. am bound will be as
we'll dressed tonight as she is, and know
she won't have SO nice cake as mine
unless somebody makes it for her, for
she is no cook or housekeeper either for
that matter"
"Why should you envy Mary Foster or
try to Guido her when you have SO many
things to be thankful for that she lacks?"
said her listener.
"What have to be thankful for I'd
like to know?" bitterly replied Rachel,
"unless it is poverty and hard work and
seeingall my old companions having a
good time dressed in their new silks and
velvets, while l am working like slave
and wearing my old things from one
years end TO another"
"Why, RACHEL Haven't You good
health, good looks, kind husband that